Intervention
by Ceru-chan
Summary: After the death of Totsuka Tatara, the Red Clan becomes increasingly violent, catching the attention of the powerful Mafia/Vigilante group, the Vongola. Set just before the beginning of the TV series K and around 8 years after the events of KHR. Adult!Arcobaleno and a more mature Tsuna.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **Okay, so Tsuna may seem a little OCC in this chapter, mainly because I see him being more matured now. Hopefully, he stills seems like Tsuna though :) Please review 'cause the only way I can improve is by getting another point of view. Constructive criticism is welcome!

* * *

A nervous man carefully opened the large doors in front of him, before slipping into the darkened room. He gazed in awe at the golden metallic dragons, frozen mid-dance across the walls, while the polished black floor squeaked protest as the man made his way to stand before a desk lit through the windows beside it, natural light beaming down from the sun over Shizume city.

Fingers tapped rhythmically on the ornately decorated dark wood desk, and the man dressed in layers of traditional robes shuffled nervously. Should he interrupt?

"_Gozen_?"

The tapping abruptly stopped and stern brown eyes lifted to meet the gaze of the clansman who had spoken. Power seeped into the room, swirling around before centring on the now shaking man, as the Gold King, Kokujōji Daikaku, rose from his chair.

"What is it, Shōzō?" The King's voice, although being deep, carried a tender note, perhaps acting as an attempt to cease his clansman's shivering. The clansman in question gulped audibly and straightened himself.

"You requested a status report on the movements of the Red Clan?"

A quick nod of confirmation saw a flood of relief wash over Shōzō's features and his confidence returned a little.

"The Third King, Suoh Mikoto seems to be preparing his clan for a bold move. A move unknown to us. Would you like us to continue our investigations, _Gozen_?"

The Gold King sighed and turned his back to his clansman, preferring to collect his thoughts by gazing at the city below. Anger was a powerful emotion, one that perhaps would lead to Suoh Mikoto's fall, and an emotion that he was no doubt feeling over the recent death of Totsuka Tatara and, from the intel gathered, Totsuka was not just a clansman but a treasured friend, which would make his death all the more unbearable.

Another sigh.

The Red King's goal was clear; revenge.

The revenge of killing his friend's murderer would satisfy Suoh, that was certain to everyone involved in the affair, and when the Colourless King was caught he would be dealt with accordingly, providing they could keep him out of the grasp of the Red King. It was obvious that Suoh would fight for the capture of the fugitive King, considering that the temperament of the King and his Clan had been best described as 'stubborn' and 'occasionally violent' before, but with the murder they had grown stronger and were increasingly more destructive in their manhunt.

"_Gozen_? Do you want us to continue our observation?"

Shōzō began shuffling nervously again as his King turned away from the window, bearing his usual serious expression but laced with a darkness that caused him to shake again. Had he made the King mad? No, the darkness wasn't directed at him, at least he hoped not, rather at the object of his thoughts, whatever or whoever that may be.

The Gold King's voice resonated through the room, "Yes, continue to watch the Red King and his clansmen and report anything suspicious immediately."

"Of course, _Gozen_."

"Also," the King spoke again, after a moment of thought, "Deliver an order to the Blue King. Tell him that should Suoh Mikoto make his move, he has the authority to arrest and hold him until further notice."

"Understood, _Gozen_."

The last thing they needed was the situation spiraling out of control. Kokujōji Daikaku was well aware that the moment the Red King made a move, would be the moment when everything would become chaotic. If they couldn't control the volatile clan, then more clans would be dragged into this mess, and perhaps even those allied to them in other areas. The last thing the city needed was outside intervention from the Vongola.

In recent years, with the succession of the young Tenth Boss, now known as Vongola Neo Primo, the Vongola had approached the Gold King with the offer of an alliance, an alliance that could not be refused due to the overwhelming strength and influence the Vongola had. The King turned back to his clansman who was moving to exit the room.

"Shōzō." The young man stopped in his tracks and turned around quickly, placing his hand to a headset on his ear and listening intently, "We cannot allow the increasing violence of the Red Clan to reach the ears of the Vongola."

"I-I fear they've already learned, _Gozen_. Takumi-kun just contacted me to relay a message from the Vongola Neo Primo. They wish to send a representative to assess the situation before they decide whether or not they should intervene."

The Gold King could already feel the situation slipping from his grasp.

"A representative? Who?"

"One of the Neo Primo's guardians, I believe."

Fantastic.

* * *

Tsuna shifted through his paper work with a sigh before smiling widely at the latest occupant to the room.

"I take it they got the message, Dame-Tsuna?"

"Yes, but they weren't too enthusiastic about the idea of us sending a representative."

Reborn, who was leaning against the doorway, snorted and smirked, "I'd be disappointed if they were. You should've sent Hibari."

Tsuna chuckled lightly, but noticeably grew paler at the thought of sending Hibari Kyouya to assess the situation in Shizume. His training under Reborn had increased his fighting and leadership skills, however Hibari still struck him with nervousness. Reborn smirked slightly as Tsuna shook his head and cringed at the thought of Hibari restoring order to the city of the Clans.

"I'm glad that I didn't send him."

The hitman adjusted his fedora and settled himself in the chair in front of Tsuna's desk, reclining backwards slightly. To anyone who was unfamiliar with Reborn, it would look almost as though he were sleeping, but to the Vongola Boss it was clear that the hitman was anything but; the small tensing of certain muscles and the quick scan of the room he would occasionally make gave him away.

"So, who did you decide to send?"

Tsuna smiled brightly and moved his paper work to one side before resting his elbows on the desk and delicately laying his chin on his folded hands.

"This could escalate into a conflict, right? So it's only necessary that I send someone who can fight."

Leon leapt from the fedora of his owner and, obscured for an instant by a flash of light, formed himself into a gun. The safety clicked off.

"Don't mess with me Dame-Tsuna. Who did you send?"

"A-alright! I sent Yamamoto!"

A soft murmur of agreement, and the gun returned to the form of the small chameleon.

"Good choice." Another flash of light and a pained yelp, "But you're still as useless as ever, Tsuna. A Vongola Boss doesn't stutter."

"_JUUDAIME!?" _A silver-haired man in a suit burst through the office double doors and caught his breath as quickly as he could manage, "I heard your scream of pain and rushed to find you! Are you hurt at all?"

Reborn tilted his fedora down further, concealing his eyes, as Tsuna tried desperately to reassure his Storm Guardian that everything was fine. His thoughts drifted to the recent happenings in Shizume and he absent-mindedly twirled one of his side burns.

'_They're lovely."_

Luce.

Reborn sighed and closed his eyes. The death of a comrade was never taken lightly, and to a certain extent he understood what the Red King was trying to do, even agreed with him. He also understood Tsuna's decision more now than when Yamamoto had first been mentioned, having first thought that a better decision could have been reached; perhaps Fon, or Aria who both had experience with negotiations.

Now he understood completely why the Rain Guardian had been chosen. His Rain attribute would be greatly appreciated in this situation, able to pacify Suoh Mikoto's flames, his carefree nature would ease the tension, and fighting skills would come in handy should a fight break out. Yes, he thought, Yamamoto was perfect, and he couldn't help but be a little proud of his student.

Not that he'd let him ever know that.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Disclaimer: I definitely don't own either 'K' or 'Katekyo Hitman Reborn!'_**

* * *

It was definitely comforting to find himself back in Japan, after living for so long in Italy. Not that Italy wasn't beautiful, it just wasn't _home. _

Even if he wasn't back in Namimori, Yamamoto Takeshi was content. Shizume City was by far larger than his home town, but it still held that quintessential feeling of a 21st Century Japan. New skyscrapers of glass and steel were crammed into every space, signifying the western influence of the age, and yet, if you looked hard enough, they still retained traditional Asian architectural elements; sometimes curved roofs, or creatures of legends carved into supporting beams here and there.

Takeshi smiled and shielded his eyes from the strong rays of the sun beating down over the city, as he glanced into the cloudless sky.

It was good to be home.

He stood there, gazing at the sky for a moment longer, before shaking off his stupor and moving towards the heart of Shizume's thriving city, reaching into his back pocket to pull out a slightly crumpled piece of paper.

Written with cursive script was the name and location of his first stop, thankfully with the Japanese translation neatly placed below. It was true that he'd been living in Italy for a while now, but he still hadn't managed to get to grips with the language. He may have been able to throw his bad grades off as having too much baseball practice to try hard enough in his lessons, but there was no denying the fact that he was _awful _with languages. The mastery of the subject was the one thing that Takeshi always admired about Gokudera Hayato, even if he did have a slightly strange accent when he spoke Japanese.

Carefully making sure he wasn't in the way of the oncoming traffic of people flooding the streets, Takeshi lifted his hazel gaze to the street sign on the corner near a small restaurant before sighing in defeat. Of course they wouldn't write the directions to their headquarters on a public sign, it would be like Vongola displaying the way to the main mansion on a bulletin board for the whole of Italy to see. Ah well, he thought, sighing internally, he'd just have to go off Tsuna's directions for now, even if they were pretty bad.

Tsuna's co-ordination may have gotten better to the point where he didn't trip over air anymore, but he was still horrible with giving directions.

Takeshi laughed lightly to himself, garnering some odd looks from those in close proximity, before he re-read the odd name of the group he needed to visit.

"Scepter 4? _Mā, mā, _I'll find it eventually!"

* * *

"Our guest is late."

Munakata Reisi casually looked over the top of his open laptop at the woman in front of him, and flashed her an amused half-smile, easily reading her thought process. It was clear to him that Awashima Seri had been on edge ever since she learned that the Vongola would be sending a representative, and yet she still stood tall, never letting her worries interfere with her work as his right-hand.

"You don't need to worry, Awashima-kun. The Vongola are here to assess Suoh, not Scepter 4."

A slight grimace marred her features, before she quickly rearranged it into her previous blank and composed expression.

"If I may be so bold, by allowing the Vongola representative to stay within the company of Scepter 4, you risk them also assessing the Blue Clan in the process."

She was sharp, and he admired her for it.

"You bring up a valid point, however we are required only to accommodate the Vongola. If we are compliant, then I see no reason for them to bring us under evaluation either."

Seri nodded, seemingly content with her Captain's reply, "I assume that you wish for me to send someone to look for our missing guest then?"

"Yes. We can't have them running all over Shizume, after all. As much as I dislike Suoh and his clan of vandals, we can not have the Vongola issuing an intervention here."

"I'll send Fushimi to look for him."

Munakata chuckled slightly and adjusted his glasses further up on the bridge of his nose.

"Send someone else. If Fushimi happens to cross paths with the Red Clan then Vongola may decide the situation is already beyond our control."

His right-hand nodded, "You, of course, are right, I'm sorry for even thinking of sending him. I'll warn Fushimi to be careful around HOMRA, and I'll be sure to make certain that he gains permission to draw his sword."

"You think of everything, Awashima-kun."

* * *

The three marbles had been spinning in the same direction for a while now, sometimes drawing nearer together, effectively tightening the circle they had created on the map of Shizume City.

The bartender moved his gaze from the spinning marbles to the small girl staring intently at them. A curtain of perfectly straightened silver hair concealed the majority of her face from view, but Izumo didn't need to see her expression to know that she was searching for that damn guy still. The guy that _murdered _one of their own.

His fingers tightened around the glass he'd been cleaning and his eyebrows scrunched together in frustration. _Why did Tatara have to die? _He could feel his flames rising to the surface, almost on the brink of exploding outwards out of sheer anger-

"Ah."

Izumo started and his grip loosened on the glass. The young girl across from him had lifted her head and turned her startling scarlet orbs to lock onto his eyes, her mouth open slightly from her soft exclamation.

"What is it, Anna? Did you find him?"

The glow in her eyes dulled a little and his hope of finding Tatara's killer any time soon faded away.

"No. This is different."

"Different how?"

She let her head gently fall back to rest on the seat behind her as she sighed quietly. How could she begin to explain, if she herself didn't really even know?

Her eyes scanned the small reflections of red light from her marbles, which danced across the ceiling, lighting the grayscale world that she was usually immersed in. It was a pretty red, but not as pretty as Mikoto's red.

_Mikoto._

She wanted to help Mikoto and HOMRA find Tatara's killer, but how could she do that when that… _thing _stopped her? She didn't even really know what it _was, _let alone why it stopped her from seeing the Colourless King.

"Anna?"

The girl rolled her head to the side to make eye contact with Izumo again.

"It feels like Saruhiko. But not Saruhiko."

"Another Blue Clansman?"

She paused and then shook her head, "Stronger."

Izumo walked around to the opening of the bar and made his way towards Anna's table before sitting opposite her.

"Then it's the Blue Ki-"

"Stronger."

"So it's the energy from a Blue, but stronger than the Blue King? Are you sure, Anna?"

_Was _she sure? She knew that it was a pulse of energy that drew her marbles towards it, and it matched the feel of the Blue Clan's flame, and yet…

_It wasn't a Blue._

Was that even possible? Could a person have the flame of a clan, but not belong to a clan? If so, why was it so _strong_? Is that what was stopping her from seeing the person who took Tatara away?

"No."

Izumo frowned and leaned back in his chair, reaching into his back pocket to pull out his lighter and a pack of recently opened cigarettes.

"So you're not sure?"

"No. It's different."

He sighed heavily and lit the cigarette now dangling from the corner of his mouth.

"Alright, Anna. If you find anything else, make sure you mention it, okay?"

He closed his eyes and relaxed to the sound of Anna's marbles resuming their spin, as he settled down in the chair.

"You'll get sick."

His eyes snapped open and he quickly lifted his head to meet Anna's intense stare.

"I'll what?"

"If you keep using those, you'll get sick." She said, nodding towards his cigarette.

He groaned and rolled his eyes, collapsing against the chair again.

"C'mon, Anna, give me a break. This is the only thing that keeps me sane when those brats try to ruin my bar."

The corners of Anna's mouth tilted up a little and her gaze softened. For that moment, just for a second, it felt as though they had gone back in time a few days, to the time when Tatara Totsuka was alive and everyone in HOMRA was happy.

* * *

**A/N: **_Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, favourited and followed this story so far! I've decided to dedicate the bottom of each chapter to answer reviews because __you're all so awesome, and totally deserve it!_

**_telysiv:_** _I glad it wasn't just me that hoped Tsuna would be more mature ;) and I totally agree with what you were saying about the first conversation involving the Gold King... he's just so difficult to write! I think I didn't get a very good feel of his character because he wasn't actually in the anime that much, so hopefully I'll have written Anna and Izumo better... :P Thank you so much for your review though, you had an awesome point to make and it definitely counts as constructive criticism! _

**_annaita816:_** _Thank you so much! I'll try and update as soon as I can in the future, it's just I'm in the middle of my last year of A-Level exams at the minute, so it's going to be difficult for a couple of weeks :( I'll do my best though! _

**_Icera:_**_ THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU! You have no idea how happy your review made me! Here is my update for you! :P No Fear! No matter how long the space between my updates gets I won't abandon this story; I went through the effort to put it up here, so I can make the effort to continue it too :) Curse you exams for messing with my updates!_

**_lunardusk: _**_The beginning was the hardest to write, but I think it was necessary to have the conversation with the Gold King so that you could get a feel of the situation with the HOMRA and the way it was being dealt with by the Gold King and Scepter 4, instead of Tsuna just discussing it with Reborn, so thank you for the review and more will definitely be coming! _


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **I'm back! On a short break at the moment from exams so I decided to put my time to good use by writing another chapter :) even though I technically should be in the middle of revising… Ah well! I only have two more exams left and I've already left college now, so after the 19th June I shouldn't have any excuse not to write! Please enjoy this chapter though!

Heads up… I have never experienced a Ramen shop before, this was all written from research, not experience.

I don't own 'K' or 'Katekyo Hitman Reborn'

_**Warning for a certain character's potty mouth.**_

* * *

It was hopeless.

Takeshi sighed heavily and gazed fondly at Tsuna's directions before stuffing them carelessly into his back pocket. He'd been walking around for some time now, heading through side streets and alleys before he'd wound up in the same place he'd started out; under the large screen above the main crossing.

Logically, there'd be no point in running around further, someone was bound to come looking at some point for him, and it made sense for him to just stay as close as possible to a populated area since they'd probably check there first. Surely a member of the Blue Clan couldn't be hard to spot in a crowd? Tsuna had said that they were a form of the police, so shouldn't they be wearing a uniform? And judging by their name, there had to be a running theme of blue, right?

His thoughts were quickly interrupted by a loud grumbling that had passers-by starring at his stomach in amusement, as he placed a hand behind his head and ruffled his hair in slight embarrassment. Hazel eyes scanned the compact, brightly coloured shops and restaurants that lined the streets, stopping instantly on a small traditional ramen shop that reminded Takeshi, oddly, of _Takesushi._

"Well, might as well get something to eat while I wait!" he declared, hoisting his bag up further and heading across the street.

No sooner had he pushed the small curtain in the doorway to the side, he was greeted with the warm and welcoming aura that he had only ever associated before with his father's sushi place. The shop itself was dimly lit with small tables and chairs packed closely together, sets of bar stools lining the long wooden counter, where a cook dished out plates of various ramen to customers at an incredible speed.

Dodging the flood of waiters and waitresses, the Vongola Rain guardian made his way quickly to an empty table with two lone seats, removing his bag as he went and dumping it unceremoniously to the floor as soon as he reached his chair. Takeshi reached for a nearby menu and quickly scanned over the options, mainly looking for something that could be eaten quickly; after all, there was no need to keep Septer 4 waiting longer than needed. Within a few short minutes, there was a slight commotion, as a young waiter with headphones slung round his neck began to make his way over, throwing threatening glares and insults at anyone who made to push him aside, and in doing so, bore a striking resemblance in personality to a certain Storm Guardian.

"Welcome! Sorry for the wait, what would you like to order?" the boy began, bearing his teeth in what Takeshi assumed was meant to be a smile of sorts. At least he was _trying _to be friendly, unlike Gokudera.

"Miso ramen would be great, thanks."

The boy's gaze relaxed a little at his quick answer as he scrambled to write down the order on a small notepad that had been perched in his apron pocket.

"Type of noodles?"

"Just regular will be fine!"

Takeshi flashed an unwavering smile at the waiter, which seemed to startle the boy, as he recoiled a little in what could only really be described as shock.

"You-" he cleared his throat and shook his head, as if trying desperately to rid himself of a bad thought or memory. "Regular noodles. Any side dishes?"

As soon as Takeshi had shaken his head in reply, the waiter ran off, clearly shaken up and no longer glaring at people in his way. The Rain Guardian rested his head on one hand and stared at the in the direction of the waiter making the hasty retreat, assessing his own actions mentally to see if he had actually done anything to offend the boy. Maybe he scared him? No, Gokudera was always shouting at him for not being scary enough, for always smiling at the people he considered the enemy.

Wait.

_Smiling._

The waiter was back from the kitchen, milling around other tables cleaning and taking orders, blatantly refusing to look in Takeshi's direction. So then, the waiter didn't like smiling? What a strange person, who didn't like smiles?

Aside from Gokudera.

Takeshi sighed and reached into his bag, pulling out a file that detailed the different clans of the area and all the information on their flames.

_"These flames, Yamamoto, are in many ways similar to those of the Mafia." Tsuna handed the file to the guardian, smiling gently and gesturing for him to open it to the first page._

_"A Gold Flame? Amazing! It acts a lot like your Flame, right?"_

_The Boss nodded, halting their slow walk to gaze at the gardens of the mansion through the large windows of the hallway they had ventured down._

_"That's because it's partly made up of Sky Flames."_

_"You lost me. How can a Flame be made of more than one Flame?"_

_Tsuna chuckled quietly and focused his attention back on Takeshi, "I don't really get it either. Reborn tried to explain it but I don't think he did a very good job." He looked behind them back down the corridor, paling slightly, "Please don't tell him I said that."_

_Takeshi threw his head back with laughter, "Mā Mā, don't panic, Tsuna, the kid isn't here!"_

_Tsuna barely had time to smile fondly at the affectionate nickname that had stuck even after the Arcobaleno curse had been broken, before he dodged a bullet that sailed past his head, close to his cheek._

_"I heard every word, Dame-Tsuna."_

_How did he not notice the hitman, leaning against the pillar that marked the corner of the corridor? Orange and Black suits usually didn't blend into cream coloured walls all that well…_

_"The Flames of the Mafia were experimented on by a German scientist towards the end of World War Two. Verde had something to do with it. He probably sold samples of Mafia Flames off to the German before we were cursed. He won't tell us how he managed it."_

_Tsuna nodded in agreement, shaking slightly, "From what I remember, you said the Kings were created through the merging of different types of Mafia Flames, right?"_

_The hitman narrowed his eyes and adjusted his fedora._

_"So, you were paying attention then? Clearly I'm a better teacher than you think."_

_"Well, you _are _a home tutor, after all." Tsuna said, straightening himself._

_"Don't be ridiculous. I'm a home tutor _hitman_."_

_"At least you don't cosplay anymore."_

_"What was that, Dame-Tsuna? Don't get cocky just because you're a Boss."_

_Takeshi loudly laughed, easing the tension that had built up in the room, and smiled broadly, "So these Clan people use a mix of Flames? I get it now! It's like Gokudera and his Sistema CAI, right?"_

_Reborn shook his head, "No, it's definitely different to that. The Clans aren't using the Flames they were born with like Gokudera and everyone else does."_

_Tsuna nodded in agreement and straightened his tie which had been previously dislodged in his haste to dodge the bullet, "Their Flames, from what Verde was saying, are more likely to come from a source that was the result of the original experiment, which feeds power to their Swords of Damocles, in turn providing the Kings with a power that overwhelms their original Flame. That Flame can then be passed on, in a less powerful incarnation, to their Clansmen."_

_"I-I think I get it. You're basically saying the Flames they use now aren't their natural ones?"_

_Two nods of agreement this time._

_"There are different Clans who possess both different abilities and Flames. For example, the Gold Clan seems to have both the Sun and Sky Flames, due to their leader lasting longer than expected, which could be due to the Sun's regeneration properties, and the fact that their Flame is said to bring out the best in the Clansman, similar to the Sky Flame. The Blue Clan is the Rain Flame and one other unidentified Flame, but HOMRA, the Red Clan, is the most intriguing. It seems to be the Storm Flame primarily, but seems more… potent."_

_A frown crossed Tsuna's face, "Verde thinks it might be the Flame of Wrath, which I agree with to a certain extent, but it just… it just feels like there's another one there, or at least the properties of another Flame."_

_Reborn smirked slightly and his stern eyes met Takeshi's kind gaze, "So we want someone to go and find out more information, I leave the selection of that person up to your Boss." With that final parting statement he turned on his heel and disappeared around the corner._

_There was a silence that lasted for a few moments before Tsuna spoke again, "Think you're up to it?"_

_It took Takeshi a few moments to process the words, "What?"_

_"To Shizume. I know it's short notice and I'd usually send Hibari or Mukuro on missions for intel gathering, but I don't feel comfortable putting either of those two near destructive Clans. Incidentally, we're using the destructive nature of the Red Clan as a reason to intervene, but their threat level will still have to be assessed, even if we're using it as an excuse."_

_"So you want me to assess the Red Clan, HOMRA, and find out what Flames were taken from the Mafia and experimented with, all without breaking Omerta?"_

_"That about sums it up."_

_A serious and, almost, unsettling glint shone in Yamamoto Takeshi's eyes._

_"Mā Mā! This'll be fun!"_

Of course, it was fun when he first thought of being back in Japan, he mused, stuffing the folder back into his bag, but now that he was here, and most definitely lost, it wasn't as amusing of an adventure as he originally thought.

"Umm… Yamamoto-san?"

The voice jolted Takashi from his thoughts and he looked up to see a timid man wearing a long blue military-styled coat, only a few years younger than himself, shuffling anxiously and darting his glasses-clad eyes all over the Ramen shop. Takeshi smiled widely while his hand nervously flexed toward Shigure Kintoki, which had been strapped securely to his side.

"Hey! You need me for something?"

The man smiled slightly and straightened, "My name is Enomoto Tatsuya. I'm here to escort you to the headquarters of the Tokyo Legal Affairs Bureau, Civil Registry Department, Annex 4, more commonly known as Septer 4."

The hand that had been reaching for his sword relaxed, "You came at just the right time! I got lost wondering around and decided to get some food before I set off again." Takeshi laughed loudly, drawing the attention of some of the other customers seated nearby, "I just ordered! Sit down and have something too, Enomoto-san!"

The man paled and shook his head quickly, "I'm sorry, Yamamoto-san, but we should leave as soon as possible. You see, the territory we're in-"

"Oi. Blue. Want to explain why you're in Mikoto-san's territory before I burn you to ashes?" The chilling voice cut through the conversation with ease, as the room was suddenly alight with a blood-red colour and warmed by several degrees, which had customers nervously scrambling to leave.

The shop went silent.

"Oi. I asked you a question _Blue._"

Takeshi turned to face the waiter from before who now glowed with a distinct red coloured aura, resembling the Storm Flames of the Mafia, just as Tsuna had described. And there was definitely an underlying hint of… something else. The Wrath Flames were there, but underneath that, underneath the unrelenting destruction that both Flames promised, there was something else.

Something a lot more sinister than Flames of Wrath.

Something darker that Takeshi couldn't pinpoint.

Something that had his fingers curling round Shigure Kintoki nervously.

Enomoto's hands began to shake slightly, an action that was quickly disguised by gripping his own sword with his right hand and pushing his glasses further up the bridge of his nose with his left.

"S-Stand down, Red Clansman. I'm not here to fight, I'm here to-"

A menacing grin light up on the waiter's face and he lazily stepped closer to the table Takeshi was seated at, throwing a previously concealed baseball bat onto his shoulder in a clear display of arrogance.

"You damn Blues. You think you can do anything you damn well please, thinking you can get away with walking into our territory. Like hell I'll let you!"

The boy propelled himself across the remaining portion of the room, close enough so that he could bring his bat within hitting range, raising it above his head as he went. Enomoto began to draw his sword too late, and instead clenched his eyes shut and tensed his body, preparing to take the blow from the HOMRA vanguard.

CLANG.

The sound of metal on metal rang through the air, causing Enomoto to cautiously open his eyes. There, blocking the metal bat from descending on his head was a sword.

A sword glowing with blue flames.

Yamamoto Takeshi grinned and his warm eyes flashed with amusement, "_Mā, Mā_! Baseball bats aren't meant to be used for hitting people! Do you play?"

"W-what did you do, you bastard? I can't move!"

Takeshi laughed good-naturedly, "It's a cool technique, right? Not one of mine though." He ruffled his hair and relaxed his stance, "It's called Attaco Di Squalo. You're just stunned."

The boy began to curse and swear loudly in frustration, as Takeshi turned to face the Septer 4 member who'd been watching carefully, ready to include all information discovered in an inevitable report that would no doubt have to be completed and on the Captain's desk within the hour.

"Well, Enomoto-san, lead the way! Bye, Waiter-san!"

"It's Yatagarasu! W-what? Get back here and fight me, you damn Blue!"

Takeshi halted in the doorway of the Ramen shop and gazed back at the waiter with a confused look, "I'm not part of Septer 4, I'm actually on holiday!" He grinned widely and honestly as he turned and followed Enomoto down the street.

Yata stood still, staring at the door in disbelief.

"Holiday?" He blinked several times before snorting, "Yeah right! Who the hell would believe that shitty excuse?"

"Y-Yata-san!" The chef who had been dishing out Ramen from behind the counter previously timidly rose to his feet, "Y-you're- You're fired! F-for f-fighting in the shop!"

Damn it.

When he saw that grinning Blue again, he was going to wish he'd never been born. It didn't matter that his smile reminded him of Totsuka-san; he'd been caught off guard with that blinding smile at first, but now he was ready. It didn't matter how strong the grinning idiot was or what tricks he had up his sleeve, he was no match for HOMRA and Mikoto-san.

Although… There was something strange about that guy, almost as though his aura was stronger, no _purer_ than the Blue Clan. Then there was that weird explanation of "being on holiday".

Yata lifted his watch to his face, sending a quick message to Kusanagi-san, informing him nothing had occurred to do with the Colourless King, but something that still needed to be reported when he dropped by the bar later. Lost in thought, the Vanguard of HOMRA grabbed his skateboard from the back of the locker area for the waiters and made his way out of the back door, heading off to meet up with Kamamoto's patrol.

He'd have to look at getting another job now too, or he wouldn't be able to pay the rent.

* * *

**A/N: **Thank you everyone for the support for this story so far! You're all awesome! 3 And now for the reviewer section!

**Icera: **Takeshi's a lot of fun to write because of the two conflicting sides that he shows in the anime series quite a bit, that becomes more apparent in the interactions Tsuna and Gokudera shared with the TYL!Takeshi in the future arc. He's such a fun, loving character, but can also be incredibly serious, especially when in a situation which requires a baseball bat or a sword. He's definitely going to be hard to keep in character, that's for sure! I didn't want him to be too serious here, because it wasn't a proper fight with Yata, it was just him quickly blocking an attack and not prolonging the situation.

**bellacloudy: **Thank you so much! 3 Tsuna most likely won't appear in person in Shizume, to answer your question, however he will probably appear in more flashbacks or briefly in conversation with someone back at, what I'm affectionately calling, Vongola HQ. I have plans! *Cue evil cackle* ;)

**Ann: **I wonder what would happen if he _did _stumble across HOMRA before Septer 4? ;) I enjoyed debating over that decision over my extended holiday with no Wi-Fi, and writing the scene :) Yata reminds me so much of Gokudera… I hope you liked the chapter!

**lunardusk: **Sadly this update wasn't as quick as the last, and the next one probably won't be for a few weeks :( and Yamamoto is a very difficult person to deal with… at least in Yata's mind! :) I hope you enjoyed the chapter though!

**telysiv: **Thank you so much again! I'm trying to write longer chapters, honest! This one has a longer word count (I believe around 2600 whereas the others were around 1400) and I will try and gradually make them longer :) There will be more interactions between the Red, Blue and possibly Green Clans with Yamamoto thrown into the mix (just watched the K movie on AnimeTube and _loved _the Green Clan 3)

**LittleNK: **Thanks for reading! I hope you read and find this one as interesting! 3

**Sereneskydragonslayer: **I wish Yamamoto didn't get lost all the time and then he would have probably met them sooner, on the bright side he did meet Yata though ;) Thank you for reading and reviewing! 3

**claire nunnaly: **Thank you so much! 3 Thank you for reviewing too!

**Cocopop55: **I hope it didn't disappoint! 3 Thank you for reviewing!

**Guest: **Thank you! 3 Don't worry, I have my plans! I know the main points of this story and what I want to cover, it's just finding the time to write it is all! 3

**Claudine: **Takeshi and his interactions with the Clans of 'K' will be the main focus, Tsuna will probably not be coming to Shizume, but that does not mean that no other characters from 'KHR' will not appear :P I won't just throw characters in unless they're relevant to the story, and if they weren't then they'd probably just have a small role.

**sam: **Thank you, Sammy. Thank you. 3

**Anna: **Thank you, Samm- Oh Anna. Thank you ;)

**RustedEagleWings: **Thank you so much! 3 Once I get these last two exams out of the way I should be updating more frequently :)

**IDKDQ: **Updates have been slowed down to compensate for exams :) I've only got two left, so after that I should be updating more until Uni starts 3

**UnlockedPotential: **Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying it so far! I definitely have a plan on where I want this to go, of course it will be subject to change, but I know I want to focus on some things that weren't really explained or small details that were overlooked in both series. I haven't read much of either of the mangas/side mangas but I do know some details from them that will be incorporated into this story :)


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **I'm so sorry about the issues with the chapter being uploaded as coding! Don't know what happened there... Thank you to everyone who notified me, both in the reviews and private messages :)

* * *

To be honest, the tour of Septer 4 Headquarters wasn't all that exciting.

The blond woman who'd be leading him around the large central building could hardly be described as 'welcoming', much less 'enthralling'. With her constant indifference, in not only her expression, but even in the way she detailed the day-to-day work of the Blue Clan, it was hard to actually absorb any information.

Takeshi sighed and tried his best to shake off an unavoidable yawn, or at least attempt to conceal it before it drew the attention of his tour guide and offended her.

He wouldn't want her to realise that her talk really _was_ boringafter all.

That was too harsh, he amended, flicking his eyes over to a small gathering of young men chatting in the corner and wearing the trademark uniform of their clan. The female member of Septer 4 _was _taking the time to show him around after all, and whether it was the result orders or voluntary on Awashima Seri's part, he should still be grateful of her help.

"...moto-san? Yamamoto-san?"

Her stern blue eyes bore into his own, causing him to blink several times before realising that his guide had been trying to attract his attention for a while now, and that another had joined their small group. He laughed shortly and ruffled his hair slightly in embarrassment.

"Were you calling me? Sorry, I wasn't listening." he laughed louder this time, in an attempt to ease the half-glare the woman had fixed him with.

"Yamamoto-san. This is Fushimi Saruhiko." She gestured curtly to the man who had wandered over and currently had one hand casually placed in his pocket with the other slung over the hilt of his sabre, "He will be your guide from here on out."

She turned to face Fushimi directly, "Fushimi-kun. Make sure our guest gets to his room safely later on."

"Sure, I understand."

"Don't go into town, however you are permitted to walk around the entire perimeter of Headquarters if Yamamoto-san wishes to leave the building itself."

"Yes."

She fixed him with a chilling glare, to which he responded with a dull, bored gaze.

"Fushimi-kun?"

"Yes?"

"There doesn't need to be another warning, correct?"

He faltered for a moment before casting his eyes downwards, the light temporarily reflecting in the lenses of his glasses, blocking his eyes from his superior.

"No. Of course not."

She nodded, satisfied, and turned on her heel, not stopping to look back even once.

It was unlucky that Awashima Seri didn't catch the slowly widening grin that had begun to form on her sub-ordinate's face.

A grin that promised trouble.

As soon as she was safely out of sight, the newly appointed tour guide sighed and began walking forward at a steady, almost lethargic, pace.

"On your right, you'll see the canteen," he droned, gazing at the watch on his right-hand wrist, "On your left-"

"Did you want to go somewhere?"

Fushimi stopped and placed his right hand back into his pocket, before reclining his head backwards over his shoulder and staring with bored eyes at Takeshi.

"Did you say something, honoured guest?"

Takeshi grinned and chuckled good-naturedly, "It's just you were checking your watch as if you were going to be late. I don't want to hold you up if you're meeting someone!"

And the moment that the mention of meeting someone found its way into the conversation, Fushimi's eyes held an unsettling... something. It was small, granted, but it was _there_. It was something that reminded Takeshi of the look the Vongola Mist Guardian gave whenever a fight was brewing.

Perhaps it was the promise of violence? Was it anticipation of the violence this person he was meeting brought? Or maybe he was expecting Takeshi to engage in a duel?

No. This member of Septer 4, Fushimi Saruhiko was a lot more similar to Rokudo Mukuro than Takeshi had previously believed.

That light, that _glint _that had formed in his eyes wasn't anticipation.

It was excitement.

But just as quickly as it came, it vanished, leaving no trace of having ever been there. The eyes relaxed and dulled, and to anyone else he would seem bored, probably making them question whether they had ever seen that unsettling excitement to begin with or whether it had been a figment of their over-active imagination.

But when you had been swept up into the very heart of the Mafia, you began to notice those small details. Especially when you had been around Mukuro and Hibari.

Takeshi guessed that Awashima's 'another warning' to Fushimi was something along the lines of controlling his obvious violent tendencies.

"Tsk. I've been ordered to not let you leave the building, Mr Representative." Fushimi stated, showing the first signs of annoyance since Takeshi had become acquainted with him.

Takeshi studied the Blue Clan member for a moment. Maybe he _had _been looking too deeply into this. Maybe Fushimi _did _just want to meet up with someone.

No. Of course that wasn't the case, Takeshi would have to be beyond naïve to believe that.

But that didn't mean that he couldn't _pretend _that he was that naïve. After all, your enemies tended to underestimate you then.

It would also allow him to assess HOMRA better if he could convince this man to take him outside of the headquarters. All he had to do after that was get directions to the Red Clan and lose Fushimi.

The Vongola Rain Guardian tilted his head in false confusion and gazed at his guide, "You say I'm not allowed to leave, but then how am I meant to do my job?"

Fushimi seemed to mull over the question for a few moments, before he sighed heavily, "I see. The Captain might be mad later, but I guess if I say you overpowered me and made for the nearest exit..."

Takeshi laughed heartily and slung an arm over Fushimi's shoulder, starting to guide them both back the way Awashima had led him.

"Right! You're such a joker, Saruhiko-kun!"

"It's Fushimi. And that wasn't a joke."

"But Saruhiko's fine, right?"

Another sigh, "Say whatever you want, I don't care."

Another warm laugh.

Now just to find the Red Clan.

* * *

It didn't take long for the two companions to become separated in the crowd of Shizume City, and for Takeshi to become lost once again. And, while it was his intention to lose Fushimi, he had to make sure that he wasn't just going to barrel straight into him again.

"Sorry for bothering you!" The Guardian happily apologised, "But have you seen a guy with dark hair, glasses and wearing a blue coat around?"

The man who had been called over for questioning furrowed his eyebrows in thought and shook his head decisively, "No, I've not seen anyone like that around."

Takeshi smiled and thanked the man. No sign of Fushimi meant that he was in the clear for now, but he should find the Red Clan as soon as possible before anyone other than Fushimi realised where he had gone.

He turned to the man once again, "Do you, by any chance, know where I can find HOMRA?"

The man nodded politely, shifting his long silver hair over his shoulder, pointing across the street to a corner bar.

"Yeah, that's the usual hangout of those kids, but despite what you've heard," he began sternly, "they're not all that bad. Sure, they can get destructive sometimes, but I've seen them in there when I go to get a drink after work," he smiled softly, "and they all treat each other like they were flesh and blood."

Treating each other like family? Maybe HOMRA weren't as bad as the Intel said they were.

Takeshi grinned in response and hitched the strap of his bag up higher on his shoulder, "Thanks for the help!" he said, bowing slightly, "And I'll remember what you said about HOMRA."

"That's all I ask." the man agreed smiling.

With a final cheerful wave, the Rain Guardian manoeuvred through the dense crowds toward the building that the man had indicated towards.

Perhaps, if Takeshi had turned around before reaching the bar, he would have noticed the wide, unsettling grin creeping onto the man's face.

Perhaps he would have noticed his eyes dilating significantly and the laughter, filled to the brim with insanity, leaving his lips.

How stupid could the Vongola get? They were playing right into his hands and they didn't even realise it! The man shook his long strands of hair over his shoulders to cascade down his back, morphing his laughter into a maniacal cackle that sent racked his body uncontrollably.

Insanity was a funny thing.

It bubbled below the surface, sometimes so well concealed that no one noticed it. But no one faced with the overwhelming compulsions that insanity forces upon them can contain it for long.

And the Silver King was no different.

"You're going to be caught out if you keep laughing like _that_ in public. And why did you venture in to the public eye at all? You know that if anyone recognises Wisemann you won't be able to use his body anymore."

The man abruptly stopped laughing as he faced the figure who had approached him from the shadows. How could this... _scientist _be so serious? Did he not understand what was about to unfold? Either way, Verde was a necessary alliance; they both benefited each other, no matter how different they were.

"Did you get what you wanted? Did you get what Suoh Mikoto needs?" He let out another mad giggle and focused his attention on the disk clutched in Verde's hand.

The scientist snorted and gave the Silver King a look of mild annoyance,.

"Of course I did. It'll help advance my research more than I first perceived."

The King's grin widened, "All you're bothered about is your _research_," he mocked, throwing his arms out dramatically, "You just don't understand the beauty of my chaos!"

Verde rubbed his temples to soothe the oncoming headache, as the man opposite him began laughing hysterically, "The sooner you create your _chaos_, the sooner I can discover more about those flames you possess."

"But you're not interested in my_ aura_, are you?"

Verde smirked and raised an eyebrow; it seemed, while undoubtedly insane, the Silver King was more observant than he let on, "Not in the slightest," he snorted, "Possessing bodies? Far too similar to the Vongola Mist Guardian. And he does it much more effectively too."

The Colourless King paid no attention to the remark and grinned excitedly at the mention of possession, latching onto that part of the conversation with delirious excitement, "You know that Wisemann took that boy's body? You should have seen his face as he fell! He didn't even fight back!"

Verde frowned and cast a quick glance at the maniacal King, "Not fighting back? How bizarre..." He shook his head when the King didn't respond and sighed heavily, "Either way, I have a more interesting puzzle to pursue at the moment. I have no time to deal with anyone else's problems, especially yours. Just make sure you don't get too close to Yamamoto Takeshi. Let him focus on the Red Clan for the time being."

"Yamamoto Takeshi... What an interesting host you'd make..."

Verde scowled, "We don't need any more Vongola here. Don't give them a reason to descend on Shizume. You know we need the object of my interest to fall before they can stop it."

The Silver King merely giggled in response, his eyes alight with madness.

* * *

"Are you Kusanagi Izumo, by any chance?"

The man started and halted the intense cleaning of a wine glass. Yamamoto smiled hopefully at the blonde, sunglasses-clad bartender who'd featured in the files he'd been handed at the start of this assignment.

"What can I do for you?"

Takeshi took a seat at the bar, rested his arms on the counter-top and grinned widely at Kusanagi, quickly digging for a reason to talk to the bar tender, "Well, I was told that you know a lot of people in the area, and I'm kind of looking for someone."

"Oh? Well, I can't make any promises about having seen the person you're looking for. As you can see, I've been here all day running my bar."

Takeshi ruffled his hair and chuckled, "Sorry. It's just, the guy I spoke to said you were the person to go to."

The bartender smiled in amusement and reached for a set of glasses and a cleaning cloth, "Well, I'm glad someone thinks I'm sociable."

Takeshi laughed and rested his head in the palm of his hand, "He had a pretty high opinion of your bar too, you know? Said that he came in here every-"

"It's strong."

Takeshi started at the small voice and whirled around on his seat to face the small girl who had crept onto the barstool on his left side.

"Anna," Kusanagi chided, "Don't creep up on the customers like that!"

"_M__ā__, m__ā_! It's alright!" Takeshi smiled warmly, "She didn't knock me off my seat or anything, so no harm done!"

And that smile brought on more than Takeshi bargained for. A swirl of emotions flowed through the young girls eyes; sadness, happiness, shock, wonder...

...Hope.

There was a sharp intake of breath and the girl's ruby eyes widened. She reached up slowly and placed a small hand on Takeshi's cheek, within an inch of the corner of his mouth.

As soon as her small hand made contact with his skin, tears brimmed and fell down her face, leaving prominent tear-stain tracks that marked the path of small crystal-like droplets of salty water that dripped languidly over her pale cheeks.

"Tatara..."

Tatara? As in Totsuka Tatara?

Kusanagi stilled and Anna's eyes brimmed with further tears, causing Takeshi to look at the bartender inquisitvely, "What's wrong? Did I say something weird again?" He chuckled nervously and turned to gaze at the girl, smiling in an effort to cheer her up.

"Hey, don't cry... Everyone's always telling me that I say stupid things all the time... Sorry if I offended you."

Kusanagi shook his head and began cleaning several glasses again, "No, no, you didn't say anything offensive, it's just..." He sighed heavily before smiled sadly at Takeshi, "Nevermind."

Anna wiped her eyes quickly and shuffled over to a table close to the bar on which lay a map, presumably of Shizume, and she dug three small red marbles out of her pocket, lay them on the table in front of her and slowly closed her eyes.

Takeshi watched the concentration that played out over her features; the tensing of her shoulders, the slight furrowing of her eyebrows, her left hand curling into a fist, her right unconsciously wiping stray tear tracks and stubborn tears...

He was about to ask what she could possibly be doing, and then-

The marbles _spun._

It started as a hypnotising sway of each marble, a slight sway that gathered momentum in a surprisingly short amount of time, evolving into a twirl. Each marble danced in its place in a constant twirl, the sound of glass rubbing against wood echoing in the bar.

And then they spun.

It started off with them forming a large circle over the majority of the map, before it slowly shrunk to cover a particular area, and then, after a few seconds, widened once again, repeating the same process over and over, spinning endlessly.

"Sorry about that," Kusanagi apologised sheepishly, causing Takeshi's stare to break from the marbles and face the bartender, "Things have been rough around here lately, everyone's on edge."

Was he talking about the death of Totsuka Tatara? Perhaps this would be a chance to begin the assessment of HOMRA; by discussing the murder, perhaps he could gain more insight into the bonds of the Red Clansman and their recent, more aggressive, actions.

Takeshi knew that he had to step cautiously, treating the topic with delicate hands, or run the risk of a fight taking place.

He'd already gauged the flames of that waiter, who had been a member of HOMRA, and whose aura had burned with anger more than anything; easily pacified with the rain flame.

But Kusanagi Izumo was very different.

His flames burned low and steady, nowhere near to the instability and unpredictability of the younger member Takeshi had met before. The flames of Kusangi didn't leap spontaneously when not in use, as if vying to escape, unlike the waiter's. They just... burned. The intensity was there, but so was the calm calculation that promised a deadly attack could be dealt.

It screamed danger.

This Clansman would no doubt be difficult to pacify, which meant the longer Takeshi could delay a fight, the better.

"Everyone's on edge?" He began with faux confusion, tilted his head to one side in a well-perfected display of puzzlement, "Why-"

"Oi! Kusanagi-san! You heard about any job openings?" The door slammed open and the small bell above the door jingled wildly, "I got fired and then ran into that damn Monkey on the way here. Its been a shitty day-"

The guy who had just entered the bar paused, his eyes widening when he caught sight of Takeshi, before strong unshakeable anger swamped his expression.

"It's you!" He yelled, pointing a shaking finger at the Rain Guardian, "What the hell are you doing in here?!"

Takeshi blinked in confusion and stared at the newcomer to the bar, carefully scanning his features for anything recognisable.

"Sorry, do I know you?"

The newcomer's face began to rapidly flush with anger, building up during the next few seconds of silence and the stares of, not only Takeshi, but also Anna and Kusanagi, before suddenly-

"YOU GOT ME FIRED, YOU BAST-"

"Yata-chan! Watch it!" Kusanagi gave a pointed look towards Anna, who blinked silently as if trying to grasp the situation, before apparently giving up and going back to her spinning marbles, "What's gotten into you anyway? Haven't I told you before? Don't shout at the customers!"

"It's _this... _idiot you should be shouting at!"

Yata pointed a finger angrily at Takeshi, shaking violently, "You were at the ramen place! You got me _fired_!"

So that's why he was so angry. Takeshi gazed intently at the newcomer whose finger was now only a few threatening inches from his nose, realisation and familiarity suddenly pouring down on him.

"Ah! Waiter-san, it's you!"

"Don't give me 'It's you'!" Yata shouted back, shaking his fist at the Rain Guardian, "YOU GOT ME FIRED!"

Takeshi laughed heartily and placed a hand on top of Yata's fist, pushing it down slightly so it was no longer brushing his nose, "Well, technically, you were the one who started a fight."

The furious expression only grew in intensity.

"Y-YOU... YOU BASTARD!"

His body became engulfed in bright red flames that licked and spluttered around Yata, casting an eerie red glow that spread through the bar, raising the temperature higher with every second that passed.

Storm flames and...

_Something._

But... _what_?

Takeshi's eyebrows furrowed in thought as he quickly ran through a list of all the flames that he knew of. It _was _familiar, definitely, but it wasn't any flame of the sky or earth. So, what did that leave him with?

His eyes widened.

No. It couldn't be. Verde couldn't have traded _that _flame...

But it had to be; a flame that Takeshi had encountered before, one that he should have recognised as soon as he had encountered the flame.

One that he should report to Tsuna.

The flame that had only ever been identified as having belonged to Vongola Secundo and the Varia Leader, Xanxus.

The flame of wrath.

No wonder the Red Clan were the most destructive; with Storm _and_ Wrath under their control, it was a wonder they hadn't already destroyed Shizume.

Takeshi reached to draw his sword at the same time he ignited his flames, convinced that it would take all he had to pacify both Yata's flames _and _Kusanagi's, who had suddenly acquired a dangerous look in his eye which warned the Rain Guardian that the man was going to burst into flames too, if the situation didn't calm down.

The door bell jingled lightly, cutting through the tension almost mockingly, as if were laughing at the situation Takeshi had voluntarily waltzed in to.

"Yamamoto-san? I thought you weren't going to leave headquarters."

Awashima Seri fixed a stern gaze on Takeshi, before moving her eyes to settle on Kusanagi, "I'll be taking our guest back to headquarters now. I'm sorry if he's caused any trouble."

"Ah, Seri-chan! So good to see you!" the bartender drawled, the dangerous glint still present in his eyes, "So, my customer is your _guest _is he? Then why does he have the blue flame? Are you _sure _he's not a member of the Blue Clan?"

"Yamamoto-san _is _a guest of Septer 4," she said, narrowing her eyes, "And as to the question of his flame, that is confidential information that even _I _am not privy to. Nor am I entitled to reveal the nature of Yamamoto-san's stay."

Kusanagi hummed in thought as Yata began to look as though he were at boiling point, his aura only increasing in strength.

"You're on our territory, Blue! You'll answer any questions that Kusanagi-san has!"

The said bartender lifted a hand casually to halt the oncoming argument as Awashima directed a distastful look straight towards Yata.

"Now, now, Yata-chan."

"B-but you can't seriously-?!"

"You should probably take your guest before Mikoto comes back. I'll have no fights in my bar."

Awashima nodded and turned on her heel, signalling that Takeshi should follow, leaving a thoroughly confused and agitated Yata behind.

"Next time," Awashima began when they were far enough away, "Please don't wander around Shizume without an escort."

Takeshi opened his mouth to remind the Blue Clan member that he _did _in fact have an escort, it was just that he had _lost _said escort. That he had to go and see HOMRA to discover what they're flames were made of and that he had to speak to the Gold King _immediately_.

Awashima was not impressed.

She _did _go on to arrange the visit to the Gold King and even allowed Takeshi time alone so that he could speak privately to Tsuna.

But she was _not _in the slightest bit impressed.

* * *

**A/N: **Thank you so much to all the reviews and everyone who favourited and followed! I know that I haven't exactly been cranking out chapters, and I left you all waiting for too long, but I didn't realise how hectic it would get after exams. I'm so sorry that this took so long, I _did _have this chapter fully mainly written out well before results day, but after I looked it over, I wasn't happy with it at all, and slowly re-wrote the whole chapter.

I don't know when I will be able to update again, it all depends on how I juggle Uni, a job and family and friends. I just wanted to let everyone know, that I _am _still working on this story. I won't give up on this and it will not be scrapped. It may take a while, but I would rather put a chapter out that I am pleased with, rather than one that I think I could have written miles better.

Also on another note, why can't I post love hearts? All I see is threes...

3 3 3 3

**Unlocked Potential: **Thank you so much! The little things in series are what interests me, like a certain physical aspect of TYL!Yamamoto that may suddenly appear at some point during this story ;) Oh God yes, Yamamoto and Yata will have their spats :P

**Akira Yuni: **Thank you! Exams were hell, but I guess it all paid off in the end :)

**sereneskydragonslayer: **Who looks forward to exams? :') How did your ones go? Poor Yata, having to deal with Takeshi XD the poor thing's without a job now! Thank the heavens that Tsuna sent Yamamoto, could you imagine Yata dealing with Gokudera or Hibari? ;) I think Tsuna could have handled this too, but he's the boss and he has lots of paperwork to finish under the watchful eyes of Reborn ;)

**Guest: **Poor Yata XD Thank you so much though! Hope you enjoyed this chapter, even if it did take forever ;)

**telysiv: **Thank you for the review! Don't worry that the review was long, 'cause so is my answer XP (sorry about that!) That was really the first thing I noticed about Takeshi to be honest; after watching KHR right after K-Project ('cause a friend recommended it), I immediately thought that Takeshi and Totsuka were pretty similar, keeping everyone calm and lightening the mood in their respective groups. Also, doesn't Totsuka reminds you, in looks, of TYL!Fuuta, or is that just me? I have a soft spot for Fuuta :P The auras were an interesting thing too, it took a while to sort it all based on abilities, but they really do fit into the abilities that the flames in KHR have, even if I've had to incorporate some from the manga series. Sometimes the perspective will shift to another character, like with the CK and Verde in this chapter, and occasionally Tsuna and Reborn. At the moment the focus is mainly on Takeshi :) No pairings are really planned except maybe hints of Awashima and Kusanagi if you squint, but aside from that, not really :)

** .cake: **Thank you! Nope ;) I ship everything and anything so I really can't judge XD You should see how I get in the Hetalia and OUAT fandoms :')

**JackFrost14: **Thank you so much! :) I'm ploughing on!

**yumeniai: **Thank you! :P At the moment Reisi and Yamamoto haven't had the pleasure of meeting, but it will definitely happen... Muhahaha... The darker part of the red flames, revealed in this chapter, really aren't the focus ;) as Verde said, something much bigger is drawing his attention, and **(hint) **that disk that Verde acquired from the Green King will lead to setting off a chain of familiar events later on...

**Guest: **Thank you so much for reviewing! Exams went okay, thanks :) I'm working on the next chapter, but it may take a while yet :(

**Donotneedtoknow: **Thank you! :) The next chapter will probably take a while, but it is coming! I'm sorry we're in September now... :'( Thanks for kicking me into gear though :)

**Mas2009: **Sorry :P Hopefully the pace will quicken from here on out :)

**Mabel-chan: **Seriously, thank you so much! I'm back with another chapter now, but the next one may be a while :'( Thank you thank you thank you thank you! :'D

**Suzuko-chii: **Umm, thank you? XD


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